- yarn changer



Aug. 13, 1935. J, R BURGE S Er AL 2,010,942

IARN CHANGER Filed Sept. 17, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l W4 WW,

Aug. 13, 1935. J R BURGESS ET AL 2,010,942

YARN CHANGER Filed Sept. 17, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 13, 1935 and, the cam box remainsjstationary. g

NITED a 1 YARN CHANGER w V p I I JameslR. Burgess, Suinmerville, GaQand'Archir bald W. Roney, Philadelphia, Pa., assignors to n r Y Fidelity Machine Company, Wilmington, Del.,a

corporation of Delaware Application September 17,193 ,seasonin 10 caaawltcanoi This invention relates to yarn changers for knitting machines," preferably a rib machi'n'e' making. hosiery tops, for providing a pattern of horizontal stripesrin thefinished rib product.

1 -ltisan'object of this invention to providelthe yarn changer with means whereby at least three r,more guides or fingers are automatically-moved. into and out of their operative positionswith a view to providing the object knitted with a pattern of horizontal stripes of three or more. colors or kinds or weights of yarn.

1 It is also an object of thisinvention to provide means for cutting and main andauxiliary means for thereafter holding or clamping the ends-of those yarns not being knitted-at anygiven time clamp and. cutter. H if The above and other objects are obtained. as

hereinafter set forth, reference being'had; to

as applied thereto,

a Fig.2 is a side elevation of the machine, 1.

and cutting unit, l Fig. 4 is an enlarged side viewof the same unit; Fig. 5 is an enlarged end view of thesa rne Fig. 3 is an enlargediplan viewofithe clamping q unit and,

Fig-Q 6 is a disassembled view of theelements comprising the unit. I 4 v In the drawings, l represents thefl fixed bed". plate of a circular knitting machine; preferably a rib machine of the typehaVing'VerticaI .cylinr- "den and horizontal dial needles,1 which has the;

rotary cam ring orjboxnz carrying the usual vertically extendingposts' connected at their, upperends by the usual bracket through which passes the' usual dialpost 3 to whichtheusual.

form no portion of the present invention. vWhile a machine with a 'revolvi ngcam boxfhas been illustrated it will be obvious thatthe yarn, changer isiequally adapted for use br; the type of machine in whichv theneedlejcylinder rotates} 1;. On .the upper face ofthe cam box" 2 is po'siv tioned the plate 6 by means. ofposts l, l fastened to the plate and extending into holes finfithe cam boxwhereby the yarn changer may be adjusted vertically fIo the plate .6 is fastened the.

block l8 b y means of screws 8, 8 passing through circumferential 'slots' in the" plate. Byloosen-A ing these screws andby means 'of' these slots the yarn changerinay be adjusted circumferentiallyg securedrtoithe block l8-by -screw is "a second block I9 having a tonguerand groove connection;

as' shown, extending-radially of the machine;

By loosening screw 20 the yarn fingers and'clampfi and cutter mayo-be adjusted radially of the cyling der, since this block: carries b Oth OfITthBSBL' unitS as will-be pointedout. T H :,..'Ihe block i9 is formed with afiat .facelying inj'a plane preferably'at an angle of about 301 degrees to the horizontal and into which is placed} the shoulder screw 9 so that it extends Perpen;

dicular to said face. The shoulder screw 9 forms;

a pivot for at least-three yarn fingers in, and

l2 although agr'eater number might be .used,;if

desired. l'laclnofthese f ngersincludes a long" armhaving at theend -a yarn feeding eyegl3 and if "desired the'feeding end may be wider asl at it on finger HJ whereby 1311194815 sufiicientf room; for two yarn eyes therein-for use in feeding twoyarns simultaneously vas plating, At the otherv end of the yarnfingersare the selecting butt-s or projections 15; I6, and 11, whereby the;

fingers are selectively moved into action whenthe projections are moved by .theselecting de-i vice (to be described) tocause the fingers to, move'clocl jwise, Fig, 1, about their-pivot. Q Also'secured inthe. face. .of the block I9 is, the pivotEZ uponwhich thetlatches' 23;, -24 .and- 25are; mounted so as tobe in the same planes as the fingers" 10,1 and -l2,. with which they, cooperate respectively, each l at ch" having a latch; ing portion 2'3, "Each latch hasa cut-out face and. in-this .face andlsurrouridingthe.pivot 22 is a; coil spring 25, one for each;.latoh. "One end ofj each spring 26, Fig. 1, takes back of a yarn finger catch 2! urging thevfinger in acounter-. clockwise direction The steps for the fingers, are the faces 28 of the latchesagainst which the. faces 29 of the yarn fingers rest asthey are urged by the springs The otherend of each spring, takes against the side wall of the-cut out face (not shown) in; each latch urgingthe isamein a counterclockwise direction, The ends of the latches fit into the bottoin of the U-shaped memher 3 8 which; is pivotally mounted on 22 by means of holes in the side malls of the 'U shape,

The forceof the ends of thelatchesagainstthe; U-shaped rnernber 3E! urges the 'same; to ;also' 'manner to be described. The member 40 proedge 32) in a clockwise direction, it forces all the latches to also move in a clockwise direction sufiiciently far so that any finger in action whose catch 2| has been held by a latching portion 21 will be released and will move counterclockwise under action of spring 26 to an idle position against stop 28. Any other finger which has been moved into action will bring its catch 2| within range of its latch, so that when member 30 and the latches, are allowed to return to normal position, the latch pertaining to the finger then moved into action, will hold that finger in active position by reason of its hold on the finger catch. The member 38 is released while the newly selected finger is still held in, as will be explained when the selecting means is described.

In addition to the yarn guides, the block l9 carries a plate 33 slotted for the reception of a screw 34 whereby it is clamped in place so that upon loosening said screw it may be moved in a direction generally toward or from the guides. Said plate-is also slotted for the reception of a second screw 35 whereby there is clamped to it'a block 36 providing a bearing for a bolt 31 inclined in a line substantially parallel to that of the screw or pivot 9, it being noted that the. slot for the screw 35 extends in a line substantially at right angles to that of the screw 34 in order that the block 36 may be adjusted toward or from the center line of the machine.

On the bolt 31 is fixed themainand auxiliaryclamping means indicated generally at 38 in Fig.1, and shown in detail in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. 'On the bolt 3Tare three fixed plates 33, 43 and M eachhaving one elongated arm and two shorter arms respectively fitting on opposite side faces of block 36, thus keeping themselves stationary with respect to the block. The member 39 has the end of its elongated arm offset as at 42, the undersurface of which end acts as a clamp in a the pivot 43 onpits elongated arm for the auxiliary clamping hook like member 44 having the U shaped base by means of which the member is movable about pivot 43. The spring 45, Fig. 3, around the pivot and taking against block 36 and against the U shaped base, urges the member 44 counterclockwise, sothat the offset hook end. 46 of the member 44 is held against 1 the side face of the elongated arm of the member 40. Thus an auxiliary clamp is provided between 46 and 4!! to hold the yarns once they are forced therebetween (by means to be described), Fig. 6. The member 4| has the elongated arm 61 whose upper surface acts as a clamp in a manner to be described and whose under surface acts as a fixed shear blade cooperating with a movable shear blade to be described.

Between members 33 and is the link 48 and between members 46 and 4| is the clamping element 49 and below the member 4| is the movable shear blade '55. Each of the members 48, 49 and 50' have rearwardly extending arms in which there are holes to receive the operating arm 5| shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5. This arm 5| causes the clamp 49 and cutter 59 to be moved about the pivot 31 to cut and clamp the yarn. :The link 48 functions asa guide member for arm 5| to keep the same parallel to pivot 31. The member 49 hasan elongated arm terminating in a U shaped member 52 which overlies the elongated arm of member 40 as shown in Fig. 3'. The upper outside face of the U shaped member 52 cooperates as a clamp with the undersurface of arm 42, causing the yarn to be bent as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 6 at 53. Actually the bent portion of the yarn is gripped between these two clamping surfaces when the clamp is closed. The lower outside face of the U shaped member 52 cooperates as a clamp with the upper surface of arm 41 causing the yarn to be bent as shown diagrammatically at 54. As the yarn is clamped by the U shaped member 52 between itself and 42 and 6?, it is forced between the hook 46 and the member 46, Fig. 6, by the shape of the cut out 55, Fig. 3, on the member 52. Thus the yarns are held by the main clamp and by the auxiliary clamp so that during the time the main clamp is open, as when releasing a yarn for knitting, or when about to receive a retired knitting yarn, the yarns will be held by the auxiliary clamp.

All of the members on the pivot 37 are held in place below block 36 by means of the spring 56, the washer 51 and the pin 58, which cooperate with the pivot 31 above block 36. The arm 5| which operates the clamp and cutter is threaded into square member 62, thus providing'for adjustment. The arm is guided by a hole in plate 63 fastened to block I9 by screw 6-4 passing through a slot. By loosening the screw the plate may be adjusted. A spring 65 between the arm 5| and plate 63 normally retains the clamp and cutter in closed position. When the arm 62 is forced inwardly the clamp and cutter is opened.-

The yarn fingers are intended to each occupy either of two positions in one of which the thread is so directed as to be engaged by the cylinder needles and knitted and in the other of which the thread is held away from the cylinder so that it cannot be engaged by the needles the ends being in the clamp and cutter. As each fingeris moved outwardly to idle position, the yarn extends from the last needle taking the same to the yarn eye, and the fingers are so positioned whenidle that this extent of yarn is in the range of the opened clamp 52 and theopened cutter 50. These are opened each time a yarn is to be changed. As the clamp and cutter close, the yarn is acted upon as described. A new yarn thrown into action is drawn out of the auxiliary clamp as the needles start to knit. 7

To one side of the machine is the selector element 6'! which may be moved to any one of four levels by any usual pattern means acting on post 69. There are three active levels in each of latches to be released. Face 32 is sufiiciently long and below the fingers so that it is actuated by 68 when any one of the three fingers are actuated. 61 extends further circumferentially than does 68, so that the selected finger is held in until the latches are allowed to come back into action. Se-

cured to the upper surface of the selector 6'! is the member 66 which operates the clamp and cutter against spring 65. This member 66 is likewise operative only in the three levels of the yarn fingers. The action of the latch release 68 is delayed with respect to the yarn finger selector, thus allowing for a yarn overlap of the outgoing andv the" incoming yarns over a few needles.

We claim:

1. A yarn changer and clamp and cutter for a knitting machine having a plurality of fingers It is to be noted that the selector for feeding a plurality of yarns, means for moving the fingers to active and inactive positions, a main clamp for holding the yarns comprising a plurality of clamping surfaces, an auxiliary clamp between the said plurality of clamping surfaces and a yarn cutter.

2. A yarn changer and clamp and cutter for a knitting machine having a plurality of fingers for feeding a plurality of yarns, means for moving the fingers to active and inactive positions, a main clamp for holding the yarns comprising a plurality of fixed clamping surfaces and a single movable element having clamping surfaces cooperating with said fixed clamping surfaces, an auxiliary clamp between the fixed clamping S111? faces, and a yarn cutter.

3. A yarn changer and clamp and cutter for a knitting machine having a plurality of fingers for feeding a plurality of yarns, means for moving the fingers to active and inactive positions, a main clamp for holding the yarns comprising a plurality of fixed clamping surfaces and a single movable U shaped element, the side Walls of, the U acting as clamping surfaces cooperating with said fixed clamping surfaces, an auxiliary clamp between the fixed clamping surfaces and between the side walls of the U when the main clamp is closed, and a yarn cutter.

4. A yarn changer and clamp and cutter for a knitting machine having a plurality of fingers for feeding a plurality of yarns, means for moving the fingers to active and inactive positions, a main clamp for holding the yarns comprising a plurality of clamping surfaces, an auxiliary clamp between the said plurality of clamping surfaces, means on the main clamp causing the yarns to be placed in the auxiliary clamp as the main clamp is closed, and a yarn cutter.

5. A yarn changer and clamp and cutter for a knitting machine having a plurality of fingers for feeding a plurality of yarns, means for moving the fingers to active and inactive positions, a main clamp for holding the yarns comprising a plurality of clamping surfaces having fixed and movable parts, an auxiliary clamp between the said plurality of clamping surfaces, the movable part of the main clamping surfaces causing the yarns to be placed in the auxiliary clamp, and a yarn cutter.

6. A yarn changer and clamp and cutter for a knitting machine having a plurality of fingers for feeding a plurality of yarns, means for moving 7 the fingers to active and inactive positions, a

main clamp for holding the yarns comprising a plurality of fixed clamping surfaces and a single movable U shaped element, the side walls of the U acting as clamping surfaces cooperating with said fixed clamping surfaces, an auxiliary clamp between the fixed clamping surfaces and between the side walls of the U when the main clamp is closed, the movable U shaped element causing the yarns to be placed in the auxiliaryclamp as the main clamp is closed, and a yarn cutter.

7. A yarn changer and a clamp and cutter for a knitting machine having at least three fingers for feeding at least three yarns, means for moving the fingers to active and inactive positions, a main clamp for holding the yarns comprising a plurality of clamping surfaces, an auxiliary clamp between the said plurality of clamping surfaces, and a yarn cutter.

8. A yarn changer and a clamp and cutter for a knitting machine having a plurality of fingers for feeding a plurality of yarns, means for moving the fingers to active position, latches for holding the fingers in active position, means to to inactive position, a main clamp and'cutter for holding the yarns comprising a plurality of clamping surfaces, an auxiliary clamp between the said plurality of clamping surfaces, and a yarn cutter.

9. A yarn changer and clamp and cutter for a knitting machine having a plurality of fingers for feeding a plurality of yarns, the fingers being inclined at an acute angle to the center line of the cylinder, means for moving the fingers to active and inactive positions, a main clamp for holding the yarns comprising a plurality of clamping surfaces, an auxiliary clamp between the said plurality of clamping surfaces, and a yarn cutter.

10. A yarn changer and clamp and cutter for a knitting machine having a plurality of fingers for feeding a plurality of yarns, the fingers being inclined at an acute angle to the center line of the cylinder, means for moving the fingers to active and inactive positions, a main clamp for holding the yarns comprising a plurality of clamping surfaces, an auxiliary clamp between the said plurality of clamping surfaces and a yarn cutter, the main clamping members being inclined at substantially the same acute angle as the fingers.

ARCHIBALD W. RONEY. JAMES R.IBURGESS.

release the latches to allow the fingers to return i 

